The traditional business of gaming entices patrons to visit casinos to play a variety of games on gaming machines or at gaming tables located within a defined area of the casino structure. In an effort to continue to expand gaming opportunities for its patrons, casinos, as well as other operators of gambling activities, are continually looking for ways to expand gaming opportunities for patrons.
As a brief background, it is well known that race and sports books can receive wagers from bettors in remote locations. Such remotely operated book operations have typically been established outside of the borders of the United States to avoid gambling limitations under federal oversight. The State of Nevada, which has long had legal book operations, recently established intrastate book capabilities whereby, had legal book operations, recently established intrastate book capabilities whereby, from a location within the state, but remote from the book operation, a bettor can make wagers on sporting events, such as for example a horse race or football/basketball game. The bettor initially sets up an account with the book operation by depositing money to establish a fund with which to bet. The bettor can then dial a pre-dedicated phone number established by the book operation and follow the spoken prompts to make a wager. Alternatively, the bettor can use a computer to go on-line and follow visual prompts to interactively make a wager.
In either case, in order to conform to state laws and regulations, the book operation must ensure that the bettor is in fact within the borders of the state of Nevada. This is typically done by using well-known locating means, such as telephone number identification systems.
As state legislatures liberalize laws in the realm of traditional casino gaming, gaming operators seek ways for patrons to participate in slot-type and table-type gaming in locations away from the traditional casino floor area. Accordingly, gaming operators embrace mobile gaming technology as a means to expand their business. Mobile gaming, as is known in the art, generally involves the use of devices having wireless capabilities that facilitate the play of slot-type games, video poker, blackjack and other traditional games away from the casino floor, such as at locations other than fixed gaming tables and fixed gaming machines.
In the state of Nevada mobile gaming is permitted but legislation and associated regulation places restrictions on its implementation. Minors are not allowed to gamble and consequently, the implementation of mobile gaming must include restrictions that will substantially eliminate the likelihood of minors being able to privately or surreptitiously use mobile gaming devices.
In order for casino personnel to most efficiently monitor use of mobile gaming devices, it is expected that mobile gaming be limited to public spaces on the casino property. Indeed, at this time, new regulations in the State of Nevada only allow mobile gaming in areas where a gaming device may lawfully be operated, which under the regulations necessarily includes areas under an approved surveillance system. Conversely, mobile gaming is prohibited in private places, such as hotel rooms, where patrons are granted their privacy and consequently are not being monitored. Thus, gaming operators need to ensure that mobile gaming is not occurring in prohibited areas.
There is therefore a need to develop a gaming device that, in addition to providing mobile gaming capabilities, can meet the gaming laws and regulations regarding mobile gaming. The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus that accomplishes this purpose, as well as providing additional benefits and advantages.